The Rat Terriers, being highly adaptable in nature, adjusts well to new conditions and environments. Their tolerance to high temperatures is pretty great and thus they can comfortably thrive in most parts of India, which is famous for its hot and humid weather conditions. Also, these dogs are very easy to train, they are obedient in nature and are easy on the pockets too. Hence, the Rat Terriers are an awesome option for a potential dog owner who is looking for a lively, sturdy, active, and an easy-going canine to raise.
The Rat Terriers are small-to-medium sized, strongly built canines who were initially bred for working purposes. These dogs are quite energetic and spirited in nature and their lean and fit body donates the sheer amount of power and speed that is present inside them. The official standards for the Rat Terriers are given as follows:
The Rat Terriers are normally found in three sizes: toy, miniature, and standard. The average height of the miniature Rat Terriers is around 10-13 inches while the standard Rat Terriers are about 13-18 inches tall. These canines usually weigh somewhere around 4.5-11.5 Kilograms. The height and weight of the toy Rat Terriers are under 10 inches and under 4.5 Kilograms, respectively.
|
TYPE |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MINIATURE |
4.5-11.5 kg |
10-13 inch |
|
STANDARD |
4.5-11.5 kg |
13-18 inch |
|
TOY |
Under 4.5 Kg |
Under 10 inch |
The Rat Terriers have a smooth, short and shiny coat which is evenly spread all over their body. Their coat is mostly found in the combination of two colors with one usually being White while the other can be Fawn, Chocolate, Blue, Black et cetera.
The Rat Terriers have a compact and sturdily built body. Their neck is of fair length, strong, and is well arched along the crest. The Chest area is small and flexible with well-sprung ribs and the Back region is smooth and straight. Their tail is normally docked between the 2nd and 3rd joint but it can also be left naturally long as the length of the tail is not that important. The forelegs and hind legs are fairly muscular, sturdy and in balance with each other.
They have a slightly wedge-shaped head which widens gradually towards the base of the ears and is well filled up under the eyes. Their eyes are not very large, are oval in shape and are found in a brown color tone. The ears are V-shaped, slightly pointed and are set on the outer edge of the skull.
They have a well-developed jaw region with strong teeth evenly placed inside their mouth which closes in either a scissors or a level bite. Their overall muzzle is of fair length, strong and tapers smoothly along the sides to the nose.
The Rat Terriers are all around friendly and affable dogs. They are highly affectionate towards their family members and loves them whole-heartedly. They are kind, sweet and careful with small kids. These canines mix fairly well with other animals including cats and other dogs. They are also warm and amiable with strangers and new people and are happy to meet them. They listen to their owners’ commands sincerely and are easy to train as well. They possess a great watchdog ability which lets them efficiently alert their owners in case of any intruders. They are also highly territorial in nature which means not only they will protect you but also your property from any kind of external harm. The temperament traits of the Rat Terriers are listed below:
The Rat Terrier, like many other terrier dogs, are quite lively and cheerful. But, they are also a lot calmer and more composed and are fond of cuddling with their loved ones or sitting on their laps.
They love to work and are happy to move from one place to another. Their exercising needs are manageable and brief sessions of playtime on a regular basis are really fun and effective for them. These pooches are very smart as well and can learn a lot of new skills and commands from their owners in no time. They get closely attached to their housemates and are known to make great companions.
They are exceptional ratters and were primarily used for this purpose only when they initially came into existence. And, because of their background, they are highly tenacious and fearless in nature and are tremendously dedicated while they are performing a task or an activity. They make really good house pets because of their friendly nature and the tendency to get along pretty well with almost anybody including children, animals, other people et cetera.
The Rat Terriers are divided into different types on the basis of the different sizes in which they can be found in. These types are:
Coming to the various colors that they can be found in; these colors are as follows:
|
Adaptability |
**** |
Sensitivity Level |
**** |
|
Affection Level |
***** |
Potential for mouthiness |
** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
***** |
Drooling Potential |
* |
|
Barking Tendencies |
*** |
Energy Level |
**** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
**** |
Health Issues |
*** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
**** |
Intelligence |
**** |
|
Child Friendly |
***** |
Playfulness |
**** |
|
Exercise Needs |
*** |
Shedding Level |
*** |
|
Grooming Needs |
** |
Social Needs |
***** |
|
Good for novice owners |
**** |
Stranger Friendly |
**** |
|
Trainability |
***** |
Watchdog Ability |
***** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
**** |
Tolerates Cold |
* |
A high-quality feeding material filled with all the essential nutrients and elements that are required for proper growth and development is best suited for the Rat Terriers. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age and should be decided only after consulting with a vet.
They require a moderate amount of regular exercise to remain in the right shape. Short walks in a park and brief playing sessions on a daily basis are enough to fulfill their exercising needs.
These canines are very easy to train. They are highly agreeable and responsive while getting trained and are happy to learn new things from their owners. They are highly intelligent as well which makes the training sessions all the more smooth and effortless for the trainers.
The Rat Terriers are very easy to groom. Their coat is required to be brushed only once or twice every week to prevent the mat formation. Their bathing needs are also minimal and a bath once every month is enough for these dogs. Apart from this, their nails should be trimmed whenever it is necessary and their ears must be cleaned on a regular basis. These dogs do shed their fur seasonally and during that period, the frequency of brushing of their coat should be increased as it helps to control the shedding process.
Health-related problems which are commonly seen in the Rat Terriers are as follows:
Frequent visits to a vet’s clinic are not required for the Rat Terriers because they generally tend to remain fit and fine throughout their life-span.
Many believe that the Rat Terriers are the descendants of the Terrier-like canines who were brought over to the United States of America by the English miners. The modern-day Rat Terrier is speculated to be the result of cross-breeding between various breeds like the Manchester Terrier, the English Terrier (now extinct) and the Smooth Fox Terrier.
But, to further improve the speed and hunting abilities of these canines, they were bred with Whippets and Italian Greyhounds and probably the Beagles. The Rat Terriers were exclusively used for hunting rats and other small rodents. They serve as great companions to the farmers and almost every farm had one of these canines to protect it from the attack of rodents.
This breed’s popularity increased a lot when people began to find out that President Teddy Roosevelt frequently hunted with his Rat Terrier. Today, they are mostly seen as house pets but still, in some parts of South America, they are being used as Ratters and squirrel hunters.
